Condensate disposal means



Oct. 14, 1952 w, F. BQ'RGERD --El" AL 2,613,514

CONDENSATE DISPOSAL. MEANS Filed May 5, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 i Zflz'lli'am Ffioz yerd 33 J6 (la/En Call; 725

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Oct. 14, 1952 w. F. BORGERD ETAL CONDENSATEI DISPOSAL MEANS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 5 1951 51%nm-3; William FBqgyerd Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED (STAT ES PAT-Eur Z Y l y ;2,6l3,51 4

I .QCONDENSATE DIsrosALY EANs "william E Borgerdand John Calling, Evansville; T -Ind,,- a;ssignorstoInternational Harvester Comi'panyna corporation of New Jersey ,{ApmicanoniM ya 195'1, jscria1 NOS 224x83 fan atomizes the water "and-sprays it over thehot surface of the condenser so 'thatt'he water is quickly evaporatedand passedinto'the atmos phere outside the space being cooled. This-method has proved quite=satisfactory when't'he 'fan is positioned close to the condenser. However, in :1

many air conditioning units,* particiilarlythe console-type room conditionenthe-ian is usually located below the condenser=--and the airstream from the fan to theconde'nsermust pass through a passageway having several turns and a con'siderable lift. This presents rthe problem of iforc'ing the mixture rof vwa'teramist and fair' through "the passageway .Withoutrhaving a:considerab1e: quantity of water-dropzout. .cfllhe'mresent invention provides simple andlnovel :means for lifting :the water to thexcondenserzini ar-imanner' .which :overcomes the abovementioned problem.

One object of the present invention fisirto provide an air conditioning unit:with-.means-if;orremoving water which condenses:onthe-snriace of the cooling unit. I

Another objectof. the invention .is' to provide an air. circulating fan with means for picking up condensate and spraying. it-, -o ver .the. hotesurfaoes of condenser. v

Another object. of the invention is --to provide means for removingcondensate"from an evaporator and giving it a positive liftgsothat it will reach a condenser which is spaced-thereabove.

Another object-oi the invention is .to;provide a fan with condensate disposal means;vilhereby the condensate is fed into a ring mountefizionthe tips of the fan-blades,andathm;dischargeiiitlierefrom by ascraper member:

Another object of (the :invention is :to =;-provide a fan with: means for removing condensate-from an evaporator: whereby the .clirection in-which the condensate is di'SCharged fr'Om the lien =may be controlled. H I

Another object of the inventi'on is "to 'provide 8 Claims. (Cl. 62 1 40) condensate disposal means which is simple and inexpensive in construction and operation.

The manner in which the foregoing objects :and advantages-are realized, together with others which will occurto' those skilled in the art to which the "inventionpertains-Will be understood from a. considerationof 'th'e accom'panying -drawings forming apart of this disclosure, and in ,which: p v I l i Fig. '1 is aside elevational-viewoffan-air iconditioning unit with -sorne -parts-shown in section. Fig. ,2 is a sectional viewt'aken on line -2 --2 "of-Fig. 1. g I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view'tak'en on line 3--3 of 15 "Fig.- 2;

Fig. i'is an-enlarged plan view {of the fan of Fig. 3 with the rimj'shQW'nin section.

Fig. 5v is a "front elevational view' of the fan of Fig.4. 1 I j i '"Fig. 6 is an-enl'arged sectional "viewtaken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig.- '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line- 1 of Fig. 5.

Referring tothe drawings'for a, detailed "des'cription of the invention, "a console-type air conditioningunit 'Hl isenolosed-by-acabinet H which'restsuponthe-floor 1-3 of the room which 'istobe cooled. The cabinet "H is spaced from an outsidewall i3 and has an elbow "portionflfl which extends-'oven the window sill l'5. Thewin- (low I6 is raisedwith 'thelower edge I-I 'of' the sash secured adjacent the top edge of elbow portion 14. The elbow portion 14 of the cabinet has an-open "end 18 which provides afp'assageway-"for air from outdoors-into the interior of t'he cabinet. An insulated partition I9 divides the interior of the cabinet l-l into an'eva'porator chamber 2|) and a condenser chamber 2 l Secured'in'the' lowerportionof the evaporator compartment'ZO is a"finne'd type evaporator 22 which extends across'the-width of'the cabinet "H. An air inlet 23 and air outlet 24 are provided in evaporator compartment 20, and ablower fan 25 is'positioned in the upper portionof the chamber. The blower 25, when operating, "pulls air from the room through inlet 23, passes it over the-surfaceof evaporator "22 and 'then-disch'arges-it'into 'th'e'ro'om through outlet 24.

The condenser compartment -21 "is-provided with a Y dividing wall 1 2B which divides 4 the coinpartment into anfinlet passageway 21 and outlet passagewav 28. A circular-shaped opening 29 is provided in' the lower portion of thedividingwall 26throug'h which air is circulatd' from inlet passagewav'i'l into outlet passagewayz-s by fan 30. The fan'SOispositionedin the'lower portion of outlet passageway 28 adjacent opening 29 and in axial alignment thereto. An electric motor 3| for driving the fan is secured in inlet passageway 21 and is provided with driving shaft 32 which extends through opening 29 and to which fan 38 is secured. A motor-compressor unit 33 is secured in the lower portion of outlet passageway 28 and a finned type condenser 34 is secured in elbow portion l4. The condenser extends across the width of the cabinet II and a second dividing wall 35 is secured in elbow portion l4 in vertical alignment with dividing wall 26 so that the inlet passageway 21 and outlet passageway 28 are completed.

The motor-compressor unit 33 compresses the refrigerant within the system in the usual manner and forwards it through conduit 36 to condenser 34 where the refrigerant is cooled and condensed by air circulated over the surface of the condenser by fan 30. The air is drawn from outdoors by fan 38 through inlet passageway 21 where it passes over part of condenser 34, then is passed through opening 29 and discharged to the outdoors through outlet passageway 28. As the air circulates through outlet passageway 28 it .fiows over the motor-compressor unit 33 and through the other part of condenser 34 whereby it removes heat from both members. The refrigerant is passed from condenser 34 by capillary tube 31 to evaporator 22 where it is heated by room air circulated thereover, and then returned to the motor-compressor unit 33 by conduit 38 to complete the refrigeration cycle. The room air is circulated over the evaporator 22 by blower 25 and will be cooled and conditioned to the comfort zone. Suitable controls and switches for automatically controlling the operation of the unit may be provided but are not shown or described since such controls are well known in the art and a detailed description would complicate the drawings.

As the room air is passed over the evaporator 22, moisture in the air will condense uponthe surfaces of the evaporator. To provide means for collecting this moisture, a drip trough or tray 39 is positioned under the evaporator. The tray is generally rectangular shaped having upstanding short walls 40 and a bottom 4i which slopes downwardly toward one end having a water outlet 42 extending therethrough. Connected to the outlet 42 is a trough 43 which extends downwardly through partition I9 into inlet passageway 21 with the lower end 44 extending through opening 29 and terminating adjacent the tips of blades 45 of fan 30. The fan blades 45 are secured to collar 46 which fits on the end of shaft 32 of motor 3 I. Secured to the tips of the blades 45 is a circular rim 4'! having the inner portion thereof formed into a concave groove 48. The end 44 of trough 43 terminates within the rim 41 above the groove 48 so that water being drained from tray 39 by trough 43 will run into the groove. I i

Secured to the front wall of the cabinet II is a rectangular shaped scraper member 49 having one end provided with a semi-circular shaped projection 58 and the other endprovided with a lug which is used in fastening 'the-scraper'to the cabinet H. The scraper 49 extends into the space enclosed by rim 4! with the projection 50 fitting into groove 48 with proper clearance to allow the rim to rotate without striking the scraper. As shown in the drawings, the scraper 49 is held in an inclined relationship to therim 41 and means may be provided for changing the angle of inclination if desired.

. 4 1; Refrigerating apparatus a wise direction, the friction between surfaces of groove 48 and-the water'therein will impart a velocity to the water. As the water strikes projection of scraper 49, it will be forced from the groove by centrifugal force in the form of a fine mist and thrown forwardly and upwardly in the general direction shown by the shaded lines in Figs. 4" and 5 of the drawings. It is to be understood that the location and inclination of the scraper 49 could be changed in order to change the direction in which the mist will be thrown, and more than one scraper may be used if a wider distribution of condensate is desired. In the illustrated embodiment the water mist is thrown toward the condenser 34 and will be picked up, by the air stream from the fan 38 and becarried over the'hot surfaces of the condenser 34. As the water strikes the condenser 34 it will be evaporated and then discharged outdoors through outlet passageway 28. In this manner the condensate is effectively removed and is utilized in cooling condenser 34 since considerable heat will be removed from the condenser in evaporating the condensate.

From theforegoing it can be seen that a condensate disposal means is provided which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation. The condensate is given a very positive lift by centrifugal force so that it will reach the condenser and will not drop back and collect on the bottom of cabinet I I. By changing the position of scraper 49, good directional control of the water mist is possible. The illustrated embodiment discloses a .console type air conditioning unit but it is to beunderstood that the condensate disposalmeans could'be used in any other type of-refrigerationunit where water is to be sprayedover a. heat exchange element.

While the inventionis shown in but one form,

it will be'obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and .modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that onlyusuchlimitations shall be placed thereupon as are-specifically set'forth in the appended claims. What is claimed isz' comprising an evaporator for cooling air, a condenser for cooling refrigerant, a compressor for compressing refrigerant and delivering it to said condenser, a propeller fan'for circulating air over said condenser, a circular rim secured to the blade tips of said fan, said rim having a groove adapted to hold water, a trough for-conducting condensate from the evaporator to said groove, said condensate being rotated with said rim when the fan is operating, and means for scraping the condensate fromthe groovesolthat it is thrown onto said condenser.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator for cooling air; a condenser for cooling refrigerant, a-.compressor for compressing refrigerant. .a-propeller fan for circulating air over said condenser,;,a.circular rim secured to the blade tips of-said fan, said rim having a groove adapted to receive water, atrough for conducting condensate from said evaporator to said groove, and a scraper member fixedly secured with a portion fitting into said groove so that as said fan rotates the water will be scraped from said groove by said scraper member and thrown outwardly by centrifugal force.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator for cooling air, a condenser for cooling refrigerant, a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a fan for circulating air over said condenser, said fan provided with an integral circular rim, means for conducting condensate from said evaporator into said rim, and a stationary member which has a portion located adjacent the inner surface of said rim so that as said fan and rim rotate the condensate will be scraped from said rim and thrown away from said fanby centrifugal force onto the surface of said condenser.

4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator for cooling air, a condenser for cooling refrigerant, a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a fan for circulating air over said condenser, a ring secured to said fan'into which condensate is drained from said evaporator, and a scraper member fixedly secured with one end terminating adjacent the inner surface of said ring, said scraper member set at an angle so that as said ring is rotated the condensate thereon will be scraped from said ring by said scraper and thrown from the ring at approximately the angle at which said scraper is set.

5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator for cooling air, a condenser for cooling refrigerant, a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a propeller fan for circulating air over said condenser, a circular shaped rim secured to the blade tips of said fan, said rim having a grooved portion which overlaps said fan blades on the intake side of said fan, means for conveying condensate from said evaporator into said grooved portion, and a scraper fixedly secured with one end extending within said rim, said end having a projection which fits into said grooved portion so that as said rim is rotated water will be scraped therefrom by the scraper and thrown outwardly by centrifugal force onto said condenser.

cured to the blade tips of said fan, said rim having a grooved portion which overlaps said fan blades on the intake side of said fan, a scraper fixedly secured with one end fitting into said grooved portion, a tray for collecting condensate from said evaporator, and a trough for conveying condensate from said tray into said grooved portion, said condensate being scraped therefrom by said scraper as the rim is rotated so that the condensate is thrown therefrom by centrifugal force onto said condenser.

7. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a cabinet which is divided into. two compartments by a partition, an evaporator secured in one compartment with means for passing room air thereover, a condenser and compressor secured in the other compartment with a fan for passing cooling air thereover, said fan located below said condenser and provided with a circular shaped rim having a groove on its inner surface, a scraper fixedly secured to said cabinet with one end projecting into said groove, and means for conveying condensate from said evaporator into said groove, said condensate being scraped from said rim during rotation thereof and thrown upwardly onto said condenser by centrifugal force.

8. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a cabinet which is divided into two compartments by a partition, an evaporator secured in one compartment, a condenser and compressor secured in the other compartment with a fan for passing cooling air thereover, said fan located below said condenser and provided with a circular shaped rim, means for conveying condensate from said evaporator to the inner surface of said rim, and means fixed to said cabinet for scraping condensate from said rim upon rotation thereof so that the condensate is thrown by centrifugal force onto said condenser.

WILLIAM F. BORGERD. JOHN CALLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,218,597 Ashley Oct. 22, 1940 2,485,733 I-Iart .c Oct. 25, 1949 

